Roman works 7 scoreless as Swallows top Tigers
Orlando Roman epitomized the struggles of the Yakult Swallows, and yet he was also a shining symbol of the team’s resilience on Tuesday at Koshien.
Roman (9-9) allowed five hits, while walking five and hitting one for base-runner party -- with everything except the happy ending for Hanshin -- as the Swallows blanked the Tigers 2-0.
The game was much like this season, in which the Swallows have had to battle adversity. Roman escaped bases-loaded situations in the first and fifth innings, and used a hard double-play ball off the bat of Ryota Arai -- with first and third and one out -- to wiggle out of a jam in the seventh.
The win helped the Swallows pull even in the Central League standings with third-place Hiroshima, which fell to Yomiuri.
The Tigers were blanked for the 20th time this season, the first time in 49 years, third time they've hit the number in franchise history.
GIANTS 6, CARP 3
Yuki Koyama (2-1) took advantage of his spot start, going eight scoreless innings, and Shinnosuke Abe hit a two-run homer and added a single as Yomiuri rolled past Hiroshima at Tokyo Dome.
Hayato Sakamoto added three hits and two RBIs for Yomiuri, which pushed its magic number to clinch the CL to 11.
DRAGONS 3, BAYSTARS 2
Pinch-hitter Yusuke Matsui’s eighth-inning RBI single helped Kazuki Yoshimi (13-4) win his eighth straight decision as Chunichi won at Yokohama.
Yohei Oshima had three hits to back Yoshimi, who held the BayStars to two runs over seven innings.
PACIFIC LEAGUE
BUFFALOES 3, LIONS 2
Takahiro Okada tied the score with a one-out RBI double and Yusuke Kajimoto’s sac fly plated the go-ahead run as Orix rallied for two run in the ninth [both charged to Hideaki Wakui (1-5)] and sent Seibu to its fourth straight loss.
It was the first win for Motoki Higa (1-0) since 2010, and the second straight blown save for Wakui as the Lions dropped the first of nine games in nine days and tumbled out of first. New Orix closer Yoshihisa Hirano struck out the side in the ninth for his sixth save.
FIGHTERS 3, MARINES 2
Haruki Nishikawa and Yoshio Itoi had back-to-back doubles in the sixth that proved to be the difference as Nippon Ham edged Lotte at The Q to move back into first.
Masaru Takeda (10-7) twirled seven-plus innings, allowing two runs on five hits with no walks and four Ks for the victory.
HAWKS 2, EAGLES 1
Tadashi Settsu (15-5) fired seven innings, allowing a run on three hits with no walks and three Ks, and Wily Mo Pena’s 20th homer was the difference as SoftBank got past Rakuten at FJY Dome.
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Roman works 7 scoreless as Swallows top Tigers
Orlando Roman epitomized the struggles of the Yakult Swallows, and yet he was also a shining symbol of the team’s resilience on Tuesday at Koshien.
Roman (9-9) allowed five hits, while walking five and hitting one for base-runner party -- with everything except the happy ending for Hanshin -- as the Swallows blanked the Tigers 2-0.
The game was much like this season, in which the Swallows have had to battle adversity. Roman escaped bases-loaded situations in the first and fifth innings, and used a hard double-play ball off the bat of Ryota Arai -- with first and third and one out -- to wiggle out of a jam in the seventh.
The win helped the Swallows pull even in the Central League standings with third-place Hiroshima, which fell to Yomiuri.
The Tigers were blanked for the 20th time this season, the first time in 49 years, third time they've hit the number in franchise history.
GIANTS 6, CARP 3
Yuki Koyama (2-1) took advantage of his spot start, going eight scoreless innings, and Shinnosuke Abe hit a two-run homer and added a single as Yomiuri rolled past Hiroshima at Tokyo Dome.
Hayato Sakamoto added three hits and two RBIs for Yomiuri, which pushed its magic number to clinch the CL to 11.
DRAGONS 3, BAYSTARS 2
Pinch-hitter Yusuke Matsui’s eighth-inning RBI single helped Kazuki Yoshimi (13-4) win his eighth straight decision as Chunichi won at Yokohama.
Yohei Oshima had three hits to back Yoshimi, who held the BayStars to two runs over seven innings.
PACIFIC LEAGUE
BUFFALOES 3, LIONS 2
Takahiro Okada tied the score with a one-out RBI double and Yusuke Kajimoto’s sac fly plated the go-ahead run as Orix rallied for two run in the ninth [both charged to Hideaki Wakui (1-5)] and sent Seibu to its fourth straight loss.
It was the first win for Motoki Higa (1-0) since 2010, and the second straight blown save for Wakui as the Lions dropped the first of nine games in nine days and tumbled out of first. New Orix closer Yoshihisa Hirano struck out the side in the ninth for his sixth save.
FIGHTERS 3, MARINES 2
Haruki Nishikawa and Yoshio Itoi had back-to-back doubles in the sixth that proved to be the difference as Nippon Ham edged Lotte at The Q to move back into first.
Masaru Takeda (10-7) twirled seven-plus innings, allowing two runs on five hits with no walks and four Ks for the victory.
HAWKS 2, EAGLES 1
Tadashi Settsu (15-5) fired seven innings, allowing a run on three hits with no walks and three Ks, and Wily Mo Pena’s 20th homer was the difference as SoftBank got past Rakuten at FJY Dome.